Circuit-closer.



A. L. DAVIS.

CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT.20,1911.

N.. 111 QN,... k. -Htulpm .N ,MS .QNDWNJN IIIY NN @E TTUR'NEYS A. L. DAVS.

ummm CLOSER.

APPLICATION PELED SEPT.`Z0,1911. fggsgga Patented une 23, WM

Z SHEETS--SHEE' 2.

UNITED srariswraranr onirica.

AGATHA LOUISS DAVIS, OF CLINTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Be it known that I, AGATHA L. Davis, a

. citizen of the ITnited States, and a resident of Clinton, in the county of Laurens and l State of South Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Circuit-Closer, of-which Vthe following is a ulhclear, and exact description. Y Y

My invention relates to electrica`lly`opere lo ated railway gates, and has for its object to provide a circuit closer for controlling the actuating means for the gates. The circuit closers are placed along the railroad 1U tracksa suitable distance on either side of I the gates, and are designed to be operated by the wheels of a train'to close the circuits in time to energize the actuating devices to lower the gates and temporarily close the crossing before the train whichoperates the 2o circuit closers passes the point at which the gates are located.

.Reference isto be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Yspecification, in Awhich the same characters'ofreference indicate the same parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a casing or conduit which is placed inposition beside the rails, and in which the cirso cuit closers actuated by the-wheels of the train are mounted; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a different type of circuit closers; Fig, 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig, l is a view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3', Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, showing another form of conduit and another forni of circuitclose'r mounted therein; Fig. 6 is a top plan view 4GA of the parts shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of other forms of circuit closers similar to those 'shown on Figs. 4 and 2 respectivel v; and Fig. 9 shows another form of stop for preventing the ciry cuit closers shown on Figs. 1 and 2, for eX- arnple, from swinging too much around their supporting pivots.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, a plurality of circuit closers 17 or 17 are located in a casing 15 arranged along side of the rail 16, ashown in Figs. 1 to 4. This casing is prefrably made of some insulatingmaterial, such as wood, but I may make `it of metal if desired. A pair of conductors, such as 13 and 13 forexample, are laid in the bottom of this casing,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 20, 1911` Patented une 23,1914..

Serial No. 650,375.

and I forni an elongated drain slot 15 vin the bottom between the conductors, to prevent the accumulation .of water therein, which would short circuit the conductors and cause waste ofcurrent. The circuit closers 17 or 17 are mounted in the casing 15 at suitable ldistances apart, each of the circuit closers being hung on a spindle 1S, with the upp` ends thereof projecting above the open top ottherasing 15, in positionQtoilben'" engaged and tilted by the wheels of av passing train. In Fig. 1 the circuit closers 17 have curved lower Jfaces 19 and 'when tilted their lower faces come in contact with the conductors 13 and 13', to close the circuit and operate the gates. The circuit closers 17 or 17 will be used inv suitable number, and they will be spaced apart at such intervals that one or more of them will always be engaged by the train wheels, to closel the circuit. cuit closers will return to their 'original pov` "sition, breakirig the cireuit'and allowing the gates to rise.

In order to keep the circuit closers from vibrating, or moving too freely around their kAfter the train has passed, the cir' pivots 18, I prefer to use stops 22, mounted u in-slots'21'in the side of the' casing 15. These stops are preferably connected by a spring 23, to dampen the swinging move-v ments of the circuit closers 17, and bring them to rest.

The circuit closers 17 are preferably made of vanadium steel, or some other good conducting substance, and they are made narrow at the=top 20, where theyv are engaged by the wheels ofthe train, and broad at the bottom. The forward side thereof is longer than the rear side, so that these circuit closers will only become operative to lower the gates at the crossings when they are engaged by a train passing in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1. Then engaged by a train in the opposite direction'they will be tilted; but on account ottheir short sides being lowered in this instance, the bot` tom 19 will not come into contact with the conductors` in the bottoni-,ot .the rcasing.

The circuit closer 1T shown in Figs. 2 and Ll is more regular in shape, having the :front and rear sides of about the saine diniensions. This torni of circuit closer is to be employed at switch points and in yards where there is a goed deal of shiftingto he done, and Where there are plenty et trains moving iu both directions in consequence. rlhis 'form of circuit closer will operate to close the circuit to the gates when ti ted in either direction; Whereas the other form l will operate to close the circuit when tilted in but one direction.

wWhen the circuit closers ll' are employed, those which are placed along the track on the near side of the crossing will have their smaller sides facing the direction from which the train usually comes; those on the far side of the crossing will he turned the opposite way. 'As a result, those on the near side of the crossing will he operated to lower the gates; hutivhen the train is once past the crossing and tilts those on the far side thereof, the latter will have no effect, for the reason that the smaller sides 'will he lowered hy the train wheels, and the lovfer surface 19 Will not corne in contact with the conductors.- v

By the employment oitA circuit closers such as described above, for controlling railroad gaies, no watchman nocd empio,I rd, as all oiE the a )aratus is autoniaticaflly actuated bythe train as soon as the locfnnotive reaches a. point a certain distance away from the crossing` At this point the irst of the line of circuit closers will he thrown to close the circuit, 'o lower the gates, and one orv more of the circuit closers will he held. down in such circuiteclosing position hy the wheels of` the train until the last car has passed the crossing; The lastv circuit closer will then follow the rest, swing by means of its own weight into such positionv as to support the circuit-closing surface 19 near to the ground and out ot Contact with the main conductors; v l wishto have itparticularly understood that the circuit @losers oli the forni shown in Fig. l are placed in different positions along each traclr on both sides of a crossing; that is 'to`say, the circuit'closers for a given track ,Willloe so placed that their shorter sides will tace the direction from which a, train usually cornes on that track; and the circuit closers for the same track on the opposite side of the crossing will have their shorter sides facing in the opposite direction. In consequence,.\vhen a train passes on the track in question, the gates will loe operated, should the train be lMissing in the right direction, or temporarily iu the opposite direction.

ln the forni of conduit shown in Figs. 5 and 6, l employ a trough l5', having only a bottom and one side, and having its bottom so shaped that it Will lit against the hase ot the rail 1G and make the weh o'l the torno. the other side ci the casing or conduit .in which the conductors 13l and` i3 are laid. Vi`his casing or conduit will have theusual outlet openings ell vinoistrnre which would otherwise shortcircuit the conductors. ln this conduit, l place the nuniher'of circuit closers @Redditch are prisniatic in vio'rin, 'as shown in- Fig. 7, but have their upper edges cut away, as shown at 28. These circuit closers .are

mounted to swing on pivot pins 18, supportled by the' rail 16 and the trough 15, and

in the hottorn, to drainthat part of the upper`- edge of the circuit closer which is not cut away as shown at 28 in ig. T, is arranged to project through a lnotch or recess 26 in the side of the ball or top of the rail, extendingl as far back as the y weh thereof, and this projection Q8-Will he engnged by the Wheels a passing train, lo be tilted around the pin 18, as described above in connection with the other figures.

Fig. 8 shows another form of circuit closer indicated hy thev numeral' 27 having itsxj upper edge partly cut away` at 28, and hav-` ing -a proyection 28, as in the case of the circuit closer shown 1n F1g... ."1

ne circuit closer 27 in Figi is used for the saine pur pose, and in the saine way, along the tracks adjacent the crossing, as thecircuit closers li shown in Figs. 2 and fr, and the circuit closers 2'4" are used in the same relations with regard to the trsclrs near crossings, 'as the circuit closers 17 Fig. l.

.Fi 9 shows another 'torni of stop which l employ to' keep the Ycircuit closers from Dswin, 'in g-y toomuch on their pivotA pinsl 18. ln this tigure, thecircuit closers are shown as mounted between the beveled ends oi" strips 29,` which are secured along the insides of the conduit 15in position to engage the sloping sides of the circuit closers 17 and l'i after these circuit closers have' been tilted to a certain extent. This arrangement l pree ferte use in place of the `spring stops :22

shown in Fig. 4 in connection with the cir `cuit closers 17 and 17.

'It will be understood in connection'with Figs. to 8 inclusive, that no forni of stop is needed, beca-use of the projections Q8 on the circuit closers Q7 and 27 being received in recesses 26 in the ball of the rail, .the sides of these recesses thus acting as stops.

Referring further ,to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, it will he understood that the projectionslv 28 passing up through therecesses 26 in the top o1 the rail '16 will be engaged by the flat portion of the car Wheel when vthe train passes over them, to tilt thecircuit closers. 'Thelcut-away portions 2S are for the purpose lof preventing the flange on the inside et the rim of thevvheelfrom coming in direct contact with thecircuit closers.

ln the form of tr ugh vshown in Fig. 5 l prefer to use a` cover extending from the side shown, .tor example, in

its

l5. over es for as 'she boli or top 'of die reii,

to proieet tbe @ironie @losers and conductors agziinst the ive/other. y 5

Ali of the peres of my improved .system are simple, and they een be'inseelled ai e, comparativeymodereiecosi, and eesiiy and cheaply operated in practice.

Hoving thus described my invention,

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent;-

a .proieotion to be engaged by they/heels of a rein-'ao tilt the body to olosee Circuit through e pair of conductors. y 2. in en improvement of 'the kind de scribed, the combination of a. raii having in its heede reeessexiending iai-emily out,

through one 'side thereof, e veriieei ineniber spaced from one web of elle mii, and e Cireui dieser comprising e body pivote-Hy mounted between seid member end the web or reii end-having a eroieeting portion extending through the` seid recess-above 'the iop ehe rail to be engaged by the vliieei o a ,11min and iiied into ositiou to close :i oircuifu' through opair oi Conductors. i

3. in en improvement 'of the vkind described, the combination with n-raii' having a lateral recess in its heed, o @member 'extending iongitudineily and upwardly pei5` ol-lel with the rail and forming iier'evvitii e trough, and a circuie closer pivoted to the rail and to the seid' member and having ini-,o the 'recess of the a. portion projecting head 'of the rail, above ehe sonrie.l

i. In on improvement of the kind Vde` scribed, the' combination with e, rail having e lateral recess in izs heed, of'approzimately right angular members one oi the membersiittiug upon alle buse of "che mii und the other' extending upvardiy to forni with the mii u i-1ou'l17'end a circuit. closer pivoted eo tbe web .o r the mil and to tbe seid vertical member und having portion. projecting into the Suid ruil.

1in in improvement of the kind described, tbe combination with u mil ii'ziving iu its heed u laterali recess, of opprogii mutelyli'igbt .fingului' members, one oi the reeoes of tbe rail ond above nienlbere being shaped to it upon tbe base und` provided with en opening therein and tbe other extending upvverdiy pera-Hei Withtbe web of the rail and orming with said reii a' trough, and o circuit closer having at its ends ivotins mounedin the rail ond-- in the seid' upwardly exending member,

seid closer moving e, portion projeeting'into the lateral rml.v l

6, In an improvement loi the kind deree'ess ofthe reii and above' said scribed, the 'combination with' a rail having in its heed e lateral recess,A of ep roxilnetely right angular members, one of t e members. iiting on the bese oi vthe rail and'ilie otherV extending up. parallel With the' rpiil and ormingtbere'wili .a trough, conducizors in the' boeten/i of the trough, and Circuit cioser having et its ende pivoiV pins mounted in therail and the reid upwardly extend' ingniembei", 'said closer being subeeentially rlanguler in cross section 'und having its apex' @uit away for the greater porioii of 'its length io ioini e progeezion extending ini-foibe recess of' the rail end'ebove said roii.

7. A .eireuit' closer coniprisin o; bodyv mounted to swing 4on :i pivot', soi body being subsantiaiiy triangular-iu .cross-section,

with 'one side shorter than the ober side.

and die apex ihereo above the pivot, seid body having im upper edgeeut ewe'yover' the greater portion. oi" its length, .the remaining edge of theupper portionorming e projection to ybe engaged .by 'the Wheels of e train, to tiit the bo y to close-the cir veui'i; to a, pair.' ofoonduotors.

8. in 'en improvement of tbe kiiidydeser1bed,vthe,combination of a rali having in its lfieedV a recess extending 'lateraily out through one sidoibereof, e trough oi' couduitY et one side of the rail, eonduotors in the bottom .of the trough or conduit, vund a 'member pivotaiy mountedv in the trough or oondui and projecting. into the' recess'4 of the rail above the saine' to beengaged by the Whee oi a trein and tilted to come into conlmet with the Said conductors;-

in testimony whereof beve signed my 'neme io ibis speeiice-iion in the .presence oi' two subscribing i'viiiesses. I

AGATHA. LUSSA DAVS. .I

i'Vit-uesses: y' l' yJ. S. CRAIG, l

Geo. iN. Coeenmu. 

